SM MOA: Brown Eyes, Skincare

So much time has passed since I last created a make-up tutorial! I’m really set on doing more of these beauty posts in the next following months since the feedback on my old entries have been quite good! I’m happy there are people who have learned to love make-up because of my entries – there is nothing like the feeling of knowing that you influenced a part of someone’s life, even if it’s just as shallow as make-up.

As you all know, how I do my make-up transforms my look completely! Recently, I came out in a magazine cover (more on that in my next post), and I got a few “You don’t look like yourself!” comments from my friends, which were totally non-offensive and understandable because I thought so too! Everything they put on my face was totally opposite of what I normally wear – white sparkly eyeshadow instead of my usual brown/gray preference, zero eyeliner instead of my usual downwards wing, barely there falsies instead of my usual heavy Japanese ones, and thick and defined eyebrows instead of my usual thin and natural ones. It wasn’t a bad thing though! It was all actually super fun and interesting, since I seldom present myself in that somewhat default showbiz cover girl make-up since I’m no natural beauty like Anne Curtis! I wish I could look as good as her with zero make-up on. *sigh* I look so crappy on an off-day, haha.

After the cover shoot, I realized I didn’t look so bad (allow me to be vain, please?) without the usual black eye make-up, so I decided to find a compromise between the make-up from the cover shoot and the make-up that I usually do. Then I discovered brown eyeliner. The one that I’m using is the K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner, but you can use anything from brown gel liner (for something darker) to brown eyeshadow (for a subtle smokey look) as well. Brown eyeliner leans toward a more natural look that is most suitable for daytime. It doesn’t create a dark, harsh line, preventing you from looking too made-up.

I recently got a Shu Uemura orange and pistachio palette from the Chocolat Donna Autumn Winter 2012, which I think is a fun alternative to dark smokey eyes! Besides the usual brown and beige, the palette includes a hint of spicy orange glitter, nutty pistachio, hazelnut and crystalized ginger peel with gold accents that you can play around with. From the same collection, I’m lusting over the raspberry and mocha palette and the framboisier powder blush too! Ugh, too much perfection, Shu Uemura! You make me want to spend all my money on you. </3

Now, on to the tutorial…

I know that I used to do tutorials step-by-step with separate pictures, but for this one I decided to compile everything in one photo in case you want to save it on your phone or computer for reference. Thanks to Shop Dainty for the circle lenses!

Step 1: Use a brown shimmer eyeshadow all over your lids. Here I’m using MAC Casino. You can also try looking for Shu Uemura P dark brown 861 and Laneige Snow Radiant Eyes 03 for different shades of shimmery brown. Or if you’re not a fan of shimmer, try MAC Cork (which you can also use for contouring, btw!)

Step 2: Using a brown pencil, gel or liquid eyeliner, line your eyelids. Extend it upwards to create a classic wing.

Step 4 and 5: Apply mascara on your top and bottom lashes. Here I’m using Laneige Perfect Lash Mascara. It’s one of new discoveries! It’s quite good for lengthening, so on a normal day, I pair it with a volume mascara so I can get the best of both worlds. Don’t know if this actually works but it makes sense to combine, right?

Step 6: Get some brown falsies and stick them as close to your lashline as possible. These ones are just some random ones I found in Singapore. Call me obsessed – they are ideal for that “my lashes but better” effect, or that “I know I’m blooming and I know you can never tell what I added to my face to achieve this *evil laugh*” effect. :)

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Feel free to comment on my DISQUS if you have any questions or any suggestions for future tutorials.

Since I’m already on the topic of make-up and beauty, I might as well share to you my favorite skincare products! I think it has only been about 8 or so months since I was suddenly enlightened to take care of my skin. I’ve never been the pimply blemish-y type, so I thought I could do away with putting so much gunk on my face. #HUMBLEBRAG! However, I read somewhere that it’s never too late to start taking care of your skin! Better to start early so you can prevent panicking with anti-aging products when you’re in your 40s or 50s. I’m trying to prevent that moment in the future when I finally see signs of wrinkles but regret that I took my skin for granted when I was younger. I also have generally dry skin, so there’s a possibility that in the future, I might look older than I really am if I don’t moisturize properly.

Here are a list of products that I use:

1) Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil – 1 bottle is sold every 15 seconds. This is something that I swear by! This might sound exaggerated, but I don’t feel comfortable removing my make-up with anything else but this. I’ve been using the Advanced Formula since college, but I decided to switch to the new Ultim8 complex because I got sold on their claim of “8 outstanding skincare benefits after 4 weeks of use, skin feels 88% revitalized, 98% refined, 90% more translucent, 94% smoother, 90% more radiant, 94% suppler, 90% nourished and 92% moisturized”. True enough my skin has never been better since I switched to this.

2) Shu Uemura TSUYA Skin – DON’T GET ME STARTED ON THIS. I’ve been using this for a week now, and it’s like magic. I’m not only saying this because I’m Japan-biased, lol. Before this, I used to put 2 thin layers of liquid foundation on my face. Now, I can do with just 1 thin layer.

I love it so much that at the end of the day, I just want to remove my make-up ASAP just so I can put this stuff on my skin. It’s true that with this product, you can achieve porcelain-fine, petal-soft, translucent glowing skin in 7 days. I saw a major difference and it makes me want to cry buckets of joy every time I see my no make-up face in the mirror. *sparkly eyes*

3) Laneige Water Bank Essence, Laneige Water Sleeping Pack EX and Laneige Water Bank Mineral Skin Mist – Wanted to look like Song Hye Gyo so I got these, LOL. She swears by the Water Bank Essence, by the way. Laneige is one of my favorite Korean brands for skincare! They’re a bit pricey than other Korean brands like Etude House or Tony Moly, but Laneige is totally worth every peso. Don’t you find it so depressing when you touch your face and it doesn’t feel bouncy? I think mine is caused by bad sleeping and eating habits, so I use the essence and sleeping pack once a week so all the work stress and unhealthy food will never ever show. Prevention is always better than cure.

Anyhow, the mist is something I just like spraying on my face when I need a good perk-me-up on a hot and humid day! I guess you can compare it to MAC Charged Water of Evian mist.

4) Hada Labo Superhyaluronic Hydrating Lotion (toner), Hydrating Milk (moisturizer) and Moist Eye Cream – I get these products every time I go to Sasa in Hong Kong or Singapore! Would you believe that 1 is sold every 4 seconds in Japan? Must be really effective, since I personally think Japanese girls have the best skin in the world. These are my default skincare products because they simply work – no frills, no scents, no anything complicated. I’m still hoping for the day Sasa comes to Manila so these products can also be enjoyed by Filipinos…

Shu Uemura and Laneige can both be found in SM Mall of Asia, which will have another 3-day sale soon! Up to 70% off on select items from participating stores. September 14-16 is *the* time to Enjoy the “Good Life” at a discount! See you at their Big! Big! Sale! Follow them on Twitter for fun giveaways and mall announcements.

About Tricia

Tricia Gosingtian documents her personal style, lifestyle, travels and photography in this small space she considers a personal diary. She hopes to give you places to go to when you have to stay where you are.

Never miss a post

SPONSORS

More Stories

What’s there to see in a car museum? A lot. Especially when the brand we’re talking about is almost a hundred years old. BMW, short for Bayerische Motoren Werke or Bavarian Motor Works, is one of the world’s most famous brands of luxury vehicles. The HQ happens to be right in the…